Wibbly-Wobbly Timey-Whimey Stuff and Things
by TakeLifeByTheHand
Summary: Rose Tyler has been living a quiet life with the Doctor's duplicate for the past few months. Everything was going fairly smooth, until the Weeping Angels hunt them down. At the touch of the Angel, Rose is thrust into a world of death and turmoil. Will she be able to find her Doctor before the disease overtakes her? Or the dead feast on her? Walking DeadxDoctor Who crossover.10/Rose
1. Prologue

**Wibbly-Wobbly Timey-Wimey… Stuff and Things.**

* * *

**Prologue: Weep.**

* * *

"_Never dare to hope for something, your hopes will just be extinguished like a dying candle." –Siera Luedke._

* * *

"Doctor! I can't 'old on any longer! I always sucked at starin' contests!" Rose yelled over her at the doctor, never breaking eye contact with the once sorrowful angelic face- now contorted in a face Rose imagined belonged to demons rather than angels- that had her rammed into the corner of the kitchen. Its stone face was frozen mid-snarl, with its fangs barred and hands raised- ready to strike Rose next time she batted an eye. Rose's eyes began to water as the lights began to flicker in the small cottage she rented with the Doctor- well, he officially went by John Smith (not very original but it was the only thing the Doctor could think of other than Doctorio Lordique- but Rose would rather have this stone evil eat her than to walk around with Doctor going by Doctorio.) They'd decided that the former time-traveler human/Time Lord Meta-crisis shouldn't live alone in an alternate world filled with mortgages and bills- it was a life. One they shared. He had been so antsy the past 7 months since time ended on Bad Wolf Bay. It was weird to imagine there was another Doctor- her Doctor- out there in another world living the same old life in the Tardis, while-

"Hold on, Rose! Don't Blink! Don't-" He froze mid-sentence as the light flickered and the angel inched closer- its demented face mere centimeters away from Rose's.

"I didn't! The lights Doctor! I can't control my sight if the lights KEEP FLICKERIN'!" Rose's voice took on a tone of sheer panic- raising a few octaves above her normally calm voice.

"I know, I know, think. Think. Think!" He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the lights in their kitchen and the dull lights shone with a new vibrancy.

"Okay. Okay, these creatures feed off of energy of the 'would-bes' and 'could have beens'. They are supposed to be extinct! Gone from this world- oh." The Doctor's face turned to Rose in realization.

"Oh? Oh what? Can you stop it Doctor?" Rose felt hope fluttering in her stomach. He was the Doctor- he could do anything. Though, part of Rose still felt weary of deeming him as such. How could the Doctor be the Doctor if the Doctor was off some where in another realm? The enigma gave Rose a headache to think about.

"Doctor. Doctor, I can't! My eyes are waterin'. I have to blink!" Rose refrained from blinking for a few more moments.

"Rose, no, DON'T! Don-" The Doctor's voice was cut off by a piercing silence and a white hot light emitted from where Rose was in the corner. Rose's outline could be seen in the light- fiery strands of light emitted from her chest and now-open eyes. She looked like the Bad Wolf. The Doctor tried to reach for her but was thrust back by a unseen force.

"ROSE!"

"Doctor!" The companions' yelling each other's names was the last things that could be heard before the light faded- along with Rose. The Doctor fell to the floor of the small kitchen- lost. He felt like he was reliving the nightmare at Canary Wharf- Rose once again torn from his grasp. A million questions, fears, and sorrows ran through the former Time Lord's mind. He didn't even have to comfort of the TARDIS this time. He held firmly onto the TARDIS coral in his hand- praying to whatever god was listening for Rose's return and knowing it wasn't going to happen. It never did.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hello fellow Whovians! This is an idea that I have been tossing around in my mind for a while now. Im a huge fan of Doctor Who and The Walking Dead. So I figured: what better to do in my free time than write a scenario where the two brilliant shows collide? **

**I ship Rose/The Doctor with the force of a thousand splendid suns (That's a wonderful book! My Advanced Placement Literature class read it a few weeks ago, it's a wonderful look into the life of the women of Afghanistan.) Sorry I got a bit side tracked there. Anyways, this story is going to follow Rose as she is tossed into the apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead. She will enter the world around the beginning of Season 2 of The Walking Dead. Spoilers for Both Walking Dead (Maybe all Seasons) and Doctor Who (Seasons 2-4)! **

**Hope you enjoyed! Or at least didn't completely hate it! This is just a short introduction and small explanation as the 'how' Rose managed to enter such a devasted world. **

**T.T.F.N- Ta-ta for now!**

**Xoxoxo, **

**TakeLifeByTheHand.**


	2. Chapter 1: Pain

Rose hit the ground with immense force at a very awkward angle. With a horrifying crack, her arm bent at an unnatural angle.. Bone pierced through the pale skin of her forearm, painting it bright red with fresh blood. Rose let out a dreadful screech of pain, squirming on the brittle grass. She barely managed to twist herself into a less painful position before the edges of her vision become tinged with the telltale signs of on-coming unconsciousness. Black seeped into her vision as her blood flowed onto the ground.

"Doctor!" Rose managed to bellow once more before giving into the darkness.

OoOoO

"Rose? Ah, Rose! How wonderful! How- fantastic!" The Doctor stood before her, dressed in a blue suit and red converse. But that wasn't right, no, this was THE DOCTOR- his first form. Well, the first she'd seen him in. His piercing blue eyes held a look of sheer happiness at the sight of her- smile bright on his older face. He was just as she remembered him, everything to the mole on his right cheek. The only difference was his attire- no oversized leather jacket could be seen.

"I- it is? Wha' exactly is fantastic, Doctor?" Rose voice didn't share the joy of the Doctor's- in fact it was borderline panicked. There was something wrong- horribly wrong. She could feel it. A ghost pain shot up her arm- Rose shuddered.

"The dead, of course! Ya daft ol' ape! They are going to eat you! There-" The Doctor's face shifted- in emotion and in form. Where the first Doctor had stood, there was now the Doctor she had fallen for further. The joy was replaced by great sorrow, his younger face shadowed with dread.

"Oh, Rose. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." The Doctor barely managed this regretful apology before he shifted once again. He was in the same form, but his clothes tattered before Rose's eyes. His skin took on a corpse-like complexion and his eyes turned from their deep brown color to a milky cataract appearance. Rose gasped. The Doctor snarled and shuffled towards her.

"Doctor? Doctor! What are you doing! Doctor-" Rose raised her arms in a defensive stance against the altered, monstrous Doctor. He lunged for her. Pain shot up Rose's arm as his once-bright teeth sank into the flesh of her arm.

* * *

OoOoO

Rose woke on the sound of a girl's thick southern drawl yelling over the sound of groans and snarls.

"She's alive! Dad, Beth, grab her! I'll herd the others into the barn. Go!" Rose felt herself being slowly lift- her arm sent sharp pains of protest up her forearm into her bicep. She couldn't quite find it in herself to open her eyes. Where was the Doctor? Doctor, oh no! She felt panic rise within her. She felt the shifting of the person carrying her. They were walking a swift pace, obviously trying to keep steady for her sake. She couldn't take the not knowing anymore; Rose forced her sandy eyes open.

"Doctor?" Rose graveled out, her voice horse from previous screaming.

"Yes, I'm a doctor. Hold on. Don't move." A Doctor, not THE Doctor. Rose didn't know what to do, though she followed his advice not to move. Her arm was killing her. She observed the man carrying her. He had a shock of white/gray hair and light stubble across his wrinkled face. His blue eyes held great emotion and care.

The man went up a few short steps onto a porch, then into a modest farm home. Rose was placed gently on a soft bed. She winced as her arm made contact with the mattress. She let out a whimper. The edges of her vision began to bleed black again.

"Beth! Grab the morphine from the top drawer! There are some bandages and an old brace in the closet. She's going to need it. This is a nasty break. I'm going to have to perform surgery on it, as soon as possible. Get my bag from my room." There was a pause and some shuffling as Beth presumably gathered the necessary medical supplies. "Now, darlin', this is going to hurt. I have some morphine, but it will take a while for it to start working. Are you ready?" He looked down at her from the side of the bed. Was she ready? No, but that didn't matter. She nodded.

"Okay. Beth, ready?" A young blonde girl came into Rose's vision, her pretty face held the same look of remorse as the old man's.

"Yes, daddy." She placed the supplies beside her father, "Hey, you can use this to bite down on. It'll help with the pain to grit your teeth. That's what I did when dad gave me stitches about a month ago." She put a towel, freshly laundered, against Rose's mouth. Rose allowed her to place it between her teeth; she bit down like her life depended on it.

"Alright. I'm sorry." With this apology, the old man took ahold of her right arm and began his work. Rose bit down on the towel as white-hot pain licked at her arm. The pain intensified as the man worked over her. Rose couldn't bear to look down at the mangled arm, the pain was too intense. Rose screeched against her muffle.

"I'm sorry! Oh, god, I'm sorry!" Beth whispered in Rose's ear as her screeching began to fade with her consciousness.

"Hand me the syringe. She needs more morphine." The old man swiftly and expertly injected the medication.

"How long do you think she'll be out for? She looks so… exhausted." Beth asked her father, looking at the blonde in the bed. She imagined, in another time, the girl would have been breathtaking. Her blonde hair was matted to her forehead. Her face was sallow and there were deep purple circles under her eyes. Her clothes were dingy and her arm was in a fresh bandage with an old brace that went from her metatarsals to her elbow. Beth shuttered at the memory of the grotesque scene she'd first found the girl in. The old man worked for a few hours over the unconscious girl, attempting to mend it, clean it, and settle it in the old brace. Once he was done, he turned to the vigilant Beth.

"She'll be out for a while. I'd imagine she's in shock. A break like this would hurt like the dickens. Get Patricia to help you clean up in here, and make sure to keep an eye on her. I'm going to grab Otis and check on Maggie." The old man looked at the girl on the bed then swiftly away. She'd be another mouth to feed. What if she had a group? She couldn't just stay here and bring her people; they couldn't afford to have a bunch of strangers taking over his farm. Faint whimpers emitted from the girl. She must be having a bad dream.

He wondered if it was any worse than the one they were living.

**Author's Note: Welp, here is the first chapter. Its not very eventful, but I can't just jump into the thick of the plot. There must be some form of development and relationship building… if that's what you can call this. I love, love, love Herschel! He is an amazing asset to the Walking Dead crew and a brilliant moral compass in times of great duress. Though, if you Walkers remember, he wasn't exactly warm and welcoming in the second season. He had his girls to worry about and he didn't openly trust outsiders. Who would? Not I, said the little red hen!**

**He, of course will help for a while, but he doesn't want strangers taking an extended stay. Oh, how The Walking Dead has been altered! **

**Don't worry Whovians, there will be more aspects from Doctor Who to come into play in the up coming chapters! **

**Until then: **

**Stay amazing!**

**Xoxoxox.**


	3. Chapter 2: Farmland Security

For the second time, Rose woke up to a deep, southern accent. It just registered to Rose that it was indeed American. All of the people's were. She was in America, and she had no Earthly idea how she got here. She squinted against the sharp sunlight shining through the sheers covering the window across the room. Her arm ached dully but not nearly as bad as it had been before- no doubt thanks to the wonderful invention of morphine.

"I brought you breakfast. I hope you like eggs and biscuits." Rose jumped a bit, but quickly covered it by attempting to sit up.

"Whoa, easy there. Don't get up to fast. You don't want to jar your arm. I'm Beth by the way, I didn't quite get to introduce myself before." She smiled earnestly at Rose, leaning forward from her seat beside her bed and gently setting the small plate of food on Rose's knees. She managed get in an upright position without the use of her right arm with a little bit of difficulty.

"'m Rose. Rose Tyler." Shock registered on the young girl's face at the sound of her accent. Rose smiled a bit, enjoying the warm meal in front of her. It felt like ages since she'd eaten last. The biscuits where a bit lumpy-but hey, it was food.

"Are you, like, from Paris or something? Your accent is so… different! I've only heard ones like it on Harry Potter. Though, don't tell my dad I watched it- he doesn't quite approve of the whole 'wizardry' thing. He's super religious." Harry Potter, she hadn't heard that one before- she thought with an eye role.

"Britain, actually. Bu' yeah. Tha's me- grand ol' 'Arry Potta." She laced her actual accent with a deepened version of it. This advocated a giggle from the young girl.

"Alright, alright I get the point! I guess I must sound like a hick to you." Rose nodded- she wasn't quite sure what she meant by 'hick' but for some reason it sounded befitting. "So, are you alone? Do you have a family? A group?" Beth inquired. A group? A group of what? Rose wondered.

"Uhm. Yeah, I have a family. They… aren't here though…" Rose wasn't quite sure how to explain her situation, and she was fairly certain if she tried the doctor would ship her to the nearest insane asylum. Beth looked saddened.

"Are they still in England? They weren't in any big city when the pandemic hit, were they?" Beth asked with a mix of sorrow and anxiety for her new friend. Pandemic? What?

"How do you mean Pandemic? Suppose they were in a big city, would that be a bad thing?" Rose looked at Beth, interest peaked and worry settling into the peace she'd felt moments prior. The last few hours before her fall surfaced in Rose's mind. The Doctor. Weeping Angels, a white light, and the time vortex. She was discarded in time. The problem was: What time?

"You mean you don't know? How is it you don't know?" Rose was getting aggravated. She would know if she'd just TELL her!

"Know what?" Rose questioned, a bolder of unease began to build in the bit of her stomach.

"The end of the world. The dead rising. Millions, upon millions have died. Rose, we are living in the apocalypse. Daddy calls it the end of days. He sees it a sort of crucible for god's followers. I see it as hell on Earth. I guess those could be the same thing. Toe-mate-toe, Tom-mot-toe. That sort of thing. Rose, did you seriously not know? How did you get to Atlanta?" This rush of information hit Rose like a ton of bricks. She'd seen the end of the world! It ended in fire- the whole world exploding in a massive cataclysmic burst of heat. Was this 'pandemic' and 'hell on Earth' the beginning of those final days of Earth? It didn't look like it would be the year ten billion. It looked like Rose's time. Where was her mother? The Doctor? Who was responsible for the 'dead rising'? Too many questions raced through Rose's mind- and far too few answers. Well, actually, no answers.

"Beth, this may be a weird question, but what year is it?" This earned a weird look from Beth. She didn't look happy to have her questions dodged- and even more worried about Rose. She could see it in her eyes that she thought something was completely wrong with Rose- mentally.

"2010. Rose, did you hit your head when you fell? Do you even remember where you fell from?" Rose almost told the young girl the truth, but then thought better of it. How mad she would sound! Oh, ya know, I just kinda fell from time and space- possibly through worlds- and landed on your devastated farm. Yeah, she'd refrain.

"I don't know. Maybe. But I need to get going. I have to find the Doctor." Rose had no idea how but she did need to find him. He would have the answers she so desperately needed. And well, she needed him. The thought of facing what sounded like some bazar-o zombies alone sent chills up Rose's spine.

"I'll get dad to have a look at your head. You don't have to get up and look for him." Beth mistook Rose's desire to find the Doctor as a request for assistance from the old man.

"No, no. Not your doctor. My doctor- he… can help." Beth's face lit up.

"Oh! So, you do have somebody! That's great! Where was he when we found you two days ago? You were alone." The word alone echoed in Rose's mind. That word definitely described her feelings right now. She had no idea what to do. So, despite her former desire to save her image of sanity- Rose decided on the truth. Here goes nothing.

"Beth, you remember a few years ago: the invasion of the Earth? The Cybermen, Big Ben being crushed? The-" Rose was cut off by Beth.

"Oh yeah! That was quite funny actually. Me, Maggie, Dad spent quite a few suppers laughing at those poor attempts at hoaxes! I mean: Robots! Come on!" Beth laughed. Rose groaned internally- Americans and their hoaxes!

"Okay, your going to think I'm insane. But all of that stuff? It was real. I was in the middle of it all me- and the Doctor. And before you call me insane: look at your world! You said the dead were rising! If I'm insane, then your mad for your belief in animated corpses!" This caused Beth to pause- Rose had a point.

"Okay. Lets imagine the aliens were real. You think this-" she waved her hands around indicating her world "-is because of them?"

"Its hard to say whose behind it. The Doctor would know. I just need to find him. The only problem is: I have no idea how or where to look for him. Last time I saw him- I was being hunted by a weeping angel. I'm out of my time. I landed here." Beth looked bewildered- and a bit taken aback.

"Out of your time how?" Beth cautiously asked. Rose sighed- here comes the twenty questions.

"I'm actually from England. 2005. I've traveled through time and space. I've seen the end of the world and this- this is not it." Rose said the last part with a fever- expressing her determination and her will to fight for humanity.

"2005? So, like, I'm a future dweller to you? What's so special about this Doctor?" Beth seemed to believe her, this was good.

"He's the keeper of time and the saver of worlds. He would know what to do. He has his ship that could take us anywhere. He's brilliant and mad. Fiery and enthusiastic. He is the last of his kind- a Time Lord." Describing the Doctor to someone who knows nothing of him is- hard to say the least. Rose's voice took on a dreamy longing that Beth didn't miss.

"Time Lord? Is he a prince or something? You sound as if he's… yours. Ya know what I mean? There's an almost poetic way you talk about him." Beth sighed. "Are you a princess? England has royalty don't they?" Rose laughed.

"Yes, we have royalty, but I'm far from posh. And the Doctor and I have a… complicated relationship-" The door to the bedroom opened as Herschel made his way into the room. "that can be explained later." Rose looked at Beth with a finger to her lips- indicating that they keep this between them. Beth took the empty plate from Rose and left the room with a wink.

"How are you feeling today?" Herschel asked with his eyes fixed on the brace. Rose smiled at the kind man.

"I'm alive. Thanks to you. Thank you." She said sincerely. As Rose shuffle a little in the bed, she felt something metal press against her leg from her pocket. She shoved the blanket aside with her good arm. Her heart skipped a beat- there, with its blue tip peeking out of her pocket, was the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. She didn't bother to question how it got there- just the fact that she had something connected to him sent elation through her veins. Herschel noticed her shift in mood and took it as her thankfulness at survival- and that was partly true.

"What were we supposed to do? Leave you there on the ground to die? That's preposterous. No problem, darlin'" He paused, then added, "I'm Herschel."

"I'm Rose. And you could have. Judging on the state of things and what Beth has told me: you could use the supplies. But you wasted them on a stranger." She smiled at his kindness.

"I don't think it's a waste. Now hold still. This will probably hurt." Rose prepared herself. Herschel removed the brace and bandage- Herschel cleaned the wound and put some ointment on. Rose was shocked to find she had stitches. He placed it back in the brace as Rose gritted her teeth against the pain.

"I know you need stronger medicine, but we ran out of morphine. Here is some ibuprofen. I won't take the brace off again. Your arm may heal at the wrong angle if I keep that up. I wish we had an actual cast, but in today's time- you don't have room to be picky. Just don't move it." Herschel gave her a stern look and left the room. Rose doubted she'd try to move it- it hurt too much for her to even think about it. She wasn't sure she could deal with months of this torturous pain. Rose picked the sonic screwdriver out of her pocket with her left hand and held it tightly in her grasp. She mentally began to prepare a plan to hunt down the doctor. What if he was thrown through time too? Would he be here? Is she even in the same parallel universe? Or somewhere completely different? What if the doctor didn't exist in this world? Cause if he did, where the hell was he? Rose hated the incessant flow of questions storming through her head. She scanned the room for any ideas. Her eyes landed on a radio. A radio! Could she send a message that way? Sonic it and send a signal to the Doctor? She'd need a walkie-talkie or something. She smiled. It was small but at least it was something. Rose sat, semi-satisfied, clutching the screwdriver close to her chest. He right arm lie at her side in a bulky black brace.

Outside her window, Rose noticed figures moving on the porch. It was dark out, but she could just make out the outline of Herschel ushering in a man with something in his arms. Rose could hear muffled voices high with panic. She stiffened, tucking the screwdriver into her pocket.

"Bring him in here!" Herschel told the newcomers. Rose gasped. A man, about the age of thirty with curly hair and light stubble, rushed into the room with a small child cradled in his arms. The child was frighteningly pale with blood covering his dingy shirt. The man was obviously in shock. Blood covered his police uniform and his shaking hands. Rose moved as fast as she could out of the bed. She ignored the intense pain in her arm. She didn't care, the boy needed comfort more than she did.

"Lay him on the bed, quickly! Beth? Gather all the supplies you can find. Sir, I need you to step back. Go wait with your friend." Herschel sounded every bit like a doctor in that instance. The man began to refuse. Rose usher him out, not taking a no for an answer.

"Rose, here." Beth tossed a makeshift sling at Rose's good arm. Rose caught it with a smile, but it soon faltered as her eyes landed on the small form of the child on the bed. She turned.

"Thank you. Help him, please." Rose's voice cracked with emotion. Beth nodded and got to work. Rose followed the broken man into a small sitting room. Herschel remained in the room for hours, while Rose, the broken man, a burly man with a mass of curly hair, and, later in the night, several people from the men's group sat in tortured silence. Rose didn't dare ask what happened to the boy. The assumed father looked tortured enough, Rose didn't want to add to it.

The wait was awful.

OoOoO

_**Author's Note: **_

_**Hola! Yet another character building/relationship building chapter. **_

_**Hope you enjoyed!**_

_**xoxoxoxo,**_

_**TakeLifeByTheHand.**_


	4. Chapter 3: Parting Glass

Chapter 3: Parting Glass

* * *

_"Children know when they are being sold a sanitized version of the world, and I think that's a betrayal of the relationship between author and reader." -Morris Gleitzman._

* * *

The night passed in anguished silence. The room, a nice sitting/living room area with tan furnishings and meticulous wooden end tables, became lathered with anxiety. Rose sat next to Maggie, Beth's older sister, anxious and in pain- the tension in her body made her arm throb with each beat of her spastic heart.

Eventually, Rose must've fallen asleep. One moment she was staring at the officer covered in the blood of the young boy and the next she was opening her eyes to the room bustling with movement. Rose rolled her head around- attempting to alleviate some of the tightness. Her arm was sending out alarmingly sharp pangs of pain, nausea sat like a rock in the pit of Rose's stomach.

"We need more supplies. The boy won't make it through the week if I don't get the bullet from his abdomen, it'll tear at his insides and cause damage that could lead to more severe internal bleeding- then death. I need morphine, gauze, disinfectant, and quite a bit more if I'm going to repair that much damage, Rick." Herschel, sounding perplexed and defeated, stood in front of the Officer explaining the dire situation- very much a doctor. If only her Doctor were here…

"If we get these supplies- you can fix him. You can fix my son?" A brunette woman, willowy and drawn with despair, stood at Rick's side. If a weeping willow were to be illustrated as a human being, Rose imagined she would witness this woman in its place. Her voice, despite the circumstances, held a fever- a desperate yearning for her child that, if Rose had to guess, came with motherhood. Rose never dreamed of having children, never pictured blonde haired heads running around the house or tampering with gadgets in the T.A.R.D.I.S…  
And in this moment, of despair and wistful hope, Rose was glad for her lack of motherhood. She couldn't imagine what she'd do if she were in the woman's place. The distraught look in the parent's eyes, the hands firmly clasped between them trying to ground them to reality, and Herschel's southern drawl promising his best effort made Rose's nausea peek. She carelessly jerked up from her seated position.

"I will do all that is in my power to save y'all's boy, but we need those supplies as soon as possible. I know where you could find the supplies we need, but last time I heard anything about the clinic: it was overrun with the dead." Rose skirted the outer edge of the conversing group, rushing to the restroom. Rose heaved into the toilet, and wondered what on Earth this little family did to deserve this terrible hand they were dealt. They seemed like good people; then again, in a world of flesh eating corpses, not many people seemed to be getting good deals. Rose, after only bringing up water, stood in front of the small mirror- her injured hand drawn up in the sling and the other pressed harsh against the porcelain of the sink.

If she had encountered herself on the street- maybe in some sort of time paradox, or whatever else the Doctor says- Rose would not have recognized herself. Her usually pale, blonde hair was streaked with dirt and blood and (oh, god) guts. Her face was clean. Beth had washed her face, presumably. Her brown eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. Though, more shocking than all else, she looked- hardened. Rose hadn't been in this world for more than a day or two and, yet, her face was cold. She felt unbelievable anger at the circumstances. She, personally, wanted to punish the responsible party for this deteriorated world. She, in that moment, understood how the Doctor felt when others saw him as the on-coming storm. A storm was brewing in Rose's chest- she needed to do something, anything, to help.

Rose made her way from the washroom. The sitting area had been cleared of people only Maggie and Patricia remained.

"Where are the others?" Rose asked the older Greene, who was talking in hushed tones with the older blonde woman.

"They are preparing for the trip a clinic up the road a ways. It's the only way to help their boy." Worry marred Maggie's youthful and pretty face.

"Outside, then?" Rose asked, turning to leave. Rose heard a 'yeah' emit from the room she left behind her. She made her way through the modest entryway of the farmhouse, pain still seared through her arm- but she decided to ignore it.

"-go. You need to stay with Carl, Rick. He needs you. I can go quickly. There is no need to risk you after what happened to him. Stay with Lori." A curly-haired man expressed his plan with forced hand gestures and a stern voice.

"Rick, Shane's right. I can't loose you, too." The brunette woman from earlier- Lori- agreed. After a few more words, and strange looks exchanged between the three in various combinations, Rick and Lori, Lori and Shane, Shane and Rick, and repeat, they settled the argument.

After the preparations had been made, Otis- one of Herschel's group- was the one to be escorting Shane. He felt immense guilt. From what Rose had gathered, he was responsible for the bullet in the young boy's stomach.

The two men were placing the last of the bags in the truck when Rose approached them.

"I want to come." Rose stated in a determined voice. Shane let out a forced chuckle.

"No way, Crumpet. You'd slow us down." Rose felt offended, and angered.  
"I'm quick on my feet. If anythin' you'd slow me down, Deputy-Do-Right." Rose felt proud of her comeback, she remembered reading about American culture in a magazine when She'd gone with the Doctor to that extraterrestrial museum in Minnesota. Shane smirked.

"You're injured. You think Herschel will let you? I don't want your death hanging on me, if you ain't quick." Oh, gee, Rose thought, how kind your concern is.

"I'm my own person. Sure, I owe Herschel my life, but I need to see this world. I need information, anythin' to explain it." That's what the Doctor would do. Rose wondered if Herschel explained her to the group, but she doubted it. Shane looked at her in an odd way, trying to make heads or tails of Rose's determination.

"Fine, Crumpet. But don't blame me when you end up bit or dead." He said, climbing in the truck and slamming the rusted door. He was quite the charmer. Rose sat in the middle, once again ignoring the thumps of pain in her arm now accompanied by ones of hunger. Rose sighed. Here goes nothin'. This was do or die. And Rose didn't plan on dying anytime soon. She needed to collect information about this alternate world, and find a way to contact the Doctor- if at all possible. She would just have to ignore the screeching sirens of pain her nerves were wailing out to her brain. As they started their drive, a profound quote from a beautiful Lady Pompadour fluttered into Rose's mind: "One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel." Rose was prepared for anything at this point. Anything to save this boy- and to find the Doctor.

She would first look for anything she could possibly use as a sort of transmitter- a phone, radio, or something. The ride was short, and Rose didn't see one dead person. That is, until they arrived at the clinic. Hordes of corpses surrounded the building. Some were clawing at the doors and windows, some were staggering aimlessly around in what seemed like circles. All of them were making gurgling noises of discontent, and Rose didn't like their odds.

"We'll have to go around back, I think the majority of them are out here. The back entrance is just behind the fence." Otis informed Shane, nerves shook Otis's body and sweat began to pool at his temples. Rose felt uneasy. Maybe she should have stayed at the farmhouse, after all. Well, she thought humorlessly, too late now.

They all jumped from the cabin of the truck, Rose was the last to emerge. The sounds of the numerous dead were revolting, to say the least. The noise of nails clawing at glass, moans and groans infiltrated Rose's ears accompanied by the distinct smell of rotten flesh. It reminded Rose of the time a rat had died in the walls of their apartment in Powell Estate and they had to call over one of her mom's 'friends' to get it out. The smell had stayed with the Tyler's for weeks.

Otis led the way, shot gun in hand and ready for any obstacle. Shane and Rose followed closely behind. Rose was thankful for the small pistol Otis had given her on the way over; although she had no clue how to use it. The back way was relatively clear, thanks to the gate keeping the 'walkers' (as Shane called them) at bay.

They split up inside, after clearing to building. Their task was to fill a knapsack with as many bottles of medicine as possible- Rose didn't know what medicine was what, she rushed through not even taking time reading the labels. Once her pack was bursting at the seams, she began the search for a radio. The receptionist area, which would be the best bet at finding something for communication, was a vain effort. Nothing was there but various stationary items and a busted phone. Rose set her gun on the counter, taking a few post-it bundles and pens to put in her pocket. Just then, Rose began to hear the noise of the outside world begin to gain volume inside the building. She looked to her right, the front door was covered with blinds displaying distorted silhouettes. The glass on the door started making crackling noises, and Rose rushed to find the others.

She found the two men zipping up their packs in two rooms towards the back.

"Fellas, I think we might have a bit of a problem! We have to go, now!" As Rose let out this warning, the sound of shattered glass and groans intensified. Adrenaline coursed through her body, as they raced to the back of the clinic, where they came in at. Shane started to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. He and Otis, on their count of three, kick out at it and it sprung open. They were met with the hungered stares of walkers. Rose didn't know what they were going to do. They were surrounded. The guys sent shots into countless brains, and they were still coming.

"This way! Now. Move, move, move!" Shane shouted like a drill sergeant. Rose was quick to obey, following the men through a small clearing close to the side of the building. It was an incline to a ledge, their only escape. As they made it to the end of the line, they only had one option: to jump. More dead lurked at the bottom, but Rose could spot the truck in the distance. Hope soared in her aching body.

There was no time to speak of a plan- good thing Rose was used to spur of the moment running. She once again wished the Doctor were here. He would know just the right thing to do.

Shane jumped first, swift and fast. Rose wondered if he was an army man, or some sort of agent. Rose followed suite, landing with a terrible thud. Her arm screamed and she yelped. She regained her composure, she didn't have time to give into the pain. Rose knew Otis's landing wasn't going to be pretty the second he leaped from the ledge. His angle was all wrong. The thud of his landing was accompanied by a snap. Sweat and sparse tears mingled together on his face. Shane helped the larger man up, swinging his arm around his shoulder. The progress was in slow motion. There was gunshots, corpses, and grumbles of 'no ammo'. Rose wasn't really registering what was happening. They were becoming overran. Shane let go of Otis, and Rose tried to take his place. It wasn't until the gun was trained on Otis's foot, and Shane was muttering out an 'I'm sorry' did Rose realize what was going on.

The bullet tore through Otis's leg and he fell on Rose. She felt the broken bones of her arm shift and she screamed. Though, not even the sound of Rose's blood-curdling screams stopped Shane's progress. He vanished into the truck without a second look back. Rose heard the roar of the engine as the walkers began their feast on Otis. Rose's small form was concealed under Otis's. His screams died out after a few seconds. The only movement from his body was caused by the multiple blackened hands carving away at it. Rose couldn't waist any more time, she squeezed her good arm between her body and Otis's trying to grab her gun. With a dreadful feeling beginning to grow into hopelessness, Rose realized she'd left her gun on the receptionist's desk. Rose went limp. This was it, she thought, this was how she was going to die.

* * *

**Hello, all!**

**Long time- no post! Sorry!**

***Hides as tomatoes are thrown***

**Well, at any rate: here's a new chapter! Rose has gotten into quite a quagmire. Cliff-hanger, anyone?**

**I'm not quite certain of the details of the clinic scene- improvisation was involved. Be warned.**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**T.T.F.N- Ta Ta For Now!**

**xoxoxoxo,**

_**-TakeLifeByTheHand.**_


	5. Chapter 4: Guts

_**A/N: This was a bit rushed, ironic since its been ages since my last update, but I hope you like it!**_

_**(There is a long message at the bottom accompanied with everyone's favorite thing: an apology!)**_

* * *

Chapter 4: Guts.

* * *

"Even in times of trauma, we try to maintain a sense of normality until we no longer can.

That, my friends, is called surviving. Not healing. We never become whole again... we are survivors. If you are here today... you are a survivor.

But those of us who have made it through hell and are still standing?

We bare a different name: warriors." ― Lori Goodwin

* * *

Rose went limp, waiting for the end to make its painful debut. Her arm was a bundle of flames and pain. She was damn sure that this- this feeling in her stomach of complete hopelessness, accompanied by the searing fire in her arm- was what Hell felt like. She wasn't really a religious person; her Doctor was always what she imagined a God would be, but from her standpoint she wasn't too fond of the 'god' of this world. Where was he? What does he think of this his world?

It seemed like years before the rocking motion from the feasting dead ended. Rose dared to peek out from under Otis' corpse. She saw the shuffling feet of the ever-hungry corpses. Rose looked out at various blackened/yellowed calves, ripped pants, and shoes. She felt tears sting in her eyes as she spotted some dingy pink trainers with rhinestones covered in cakes of mud. Her mother had had a pair similar that. She'd bought them at a sale when Rose was younger. Rose ignored the ache starting in her heart that mirrored the throbbing in her arm. She focused. The staggering corpses were walking away from her and towards the clinic. This was good. She needed to work out a plan.

Rose was thinking about running for it when Otis's body began to move again. From her vantage point, Rose didn't see any dead grabbing another bite; although, she began to hear groaning emitting from just above her. With cold spreading through her body, Rose realized that Otis was beginning to squirm off of her, blocking her view with his shifting form. He rolled off of her, gurgling deeply in the back of his throat. It took his glassed over eyes half a second before he realized he had a potential meal in front of him. Rose was paralyzed by fear and pain, still lying on her back.

As Otis' form leered above her, on his knees, grabbing her jacket. Rose pressed against him with her good hand. Her nails dug into exposed organs, covering her arm in blood and bile. Rose frantically looked around for a weapon. Otis snarled and snapped with hungry eyes and bloody teeth.

Rose looked down and she had an idea. She slid her body so that her feet were holding off Otis' advances. The assfault below her scraped against her lower back, but it didn't even register. Her boots, like her arm, entered his open body cavity, and Rose ignored her urge to vomit. If there was one thing Rose learned from her Doctor, it was that time was precious. She reached into her pocket, and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. She pointed it at Otis' body. She closed her eyes and pressed the blood-slicked button. She didn't see what happened to Otis, she heard and felt it. There was a pop- as if a bottle with great pressure was thrown against a hard surface. Something slimy and hot splashed over Rose. She opened her eyes to a scene that looked like a bloody ground zero to an explosion. Where Otis once stood, there was a starburst of blood and guts. Rose threw up when she caught sight of the remains covering her body.

"Oh, Doctor. You're brilliant. And I'm gunna kill ya." She murmured to herself as she stumbled to a standing position. She surveyed her surroundings, without having her sight hindered by Otis' form she was able to see the complete site. Walkers were staggering towards the clinic. To Rose's complete shock, they were completely ignoring her presence. She could only assumed it was because her current hygiene problem.

She spotted Otis' bag a few feet away from where she stood. She grabbed it up, hastily slinging it over her good shoulder and making her way to the street. The weight of both of their bags wasn't helping with her pain, but she ignored the urge to curl up in a ball and cry. She needed to get back to the farm. She could have something they need. And they definitely have something she needs: safety.

She turned down the road, hoping she was remembering correctly. She stuck close to the trees, not trusting being out in the open. It wasn't long before Rose started to feel the events of the day wearing on her further. Her legs began to feel heavier and heavier with each step. She took breaks frequently, wheezing with each breath. Rose decided, as the sun was sinking in the sky, that it was time to rest for the night. She angled her way into the forest, cutting straight, until she spotted a clearing next to a small stream. This would have to do. Dumping the bags beside her, she gently sat down, leaning up against a tree for support. She rummaged through the bag, hoping for something to eat. She managed to scrounge up some peanuts, half a bottled water, and a few bottles of pain medication.

Rose ate some peanuts, rejoicing at having something- no matter how small- to eat. She took two of the pain pills and washed them down with a small swig of water. She took a moment to look down at her injured arm. It was concealed under the sling that Beth had given her, which was now a mixture of crimson, yellowish-green, and black. She pealed back the sling, wincing as she caught sight of the purple skin that was covered in fresh blood from her popped stitches. She dressed the wound with a stiff gauze she found in Otis' bag, biting her lip as the pain reared up. She placed the sling back into its rightful place. It took about 30 minutes before Rose felt the effects of the medicine to kick in. It took about 5 minutes after that for the exhaustion to take over.

* * *

"ROSE! Rose, don't let go! Hold on. Don't you dare let go!" Rose felt her body being lifted into the void that had opened up behind her. The air whipped around her, sending countless cybermen into the white hot light behind her. She looked into the eyes of the Doctor and what she saw was devastating. He looked like his hearts were being shredded into pieces.

"Doctor, I can't!" She shouted, shutting her eyes against tears. When she opened then again, the Doctor's form began to shift. His slender frame shuttered into a broad shouldered man with curly hair and a stern face. With shock and wind stealing her breath, Rose's grip began to slip. She began to hurtle towards the void when she became enveloped in someone's arms. She felt a shift and nausea, tell-tell signs of teleportation. When the world solidified around her, she glanced up at her savior. She screamed as she stared up at the face of a dead Otis. Snarling, her lunged down. Rose instinctively put her arm up to protect herself. His teeth tore into her arm. She screamed.

Rose's eyes shot open, she'd woken herself with her screams. She clamped her mouth down, although the screams had stopped with her dream. She couldn't get the image of Otis as a living corpse out of her mind. Nor Shane's very much alive one.

She began to prepare for the day, repacking all the things into the backpacks. She ate a couple more peanuts and downed one more pain pill with what little bit of water she had left. She was just starting to try and navigate the forest when she heard a man's voice yelling from the distance. She tried to follow it, and as she got closer she realized he was yelling a name.

* * *

_**A/N: Hey, all! **_

_**Sorry for the SERIOUS hiatus. My only excuse is: college is kicking my ass right now. Not much of an excuse, but it is all I've got. Haha. **_

**_Lucky for me, I have about a week off before exams! So, I'll be able to write more. I'm so thankful for Thanksgiving! (Ha-ha. I'm so funny.)_**

**_To all those who celebrate: Happy Holidays! _**

**_With love,_**

**_TakeLifeBytheHand._**

**_(P.S. If any of you would like to talk about were these two lovely shows are going- feel free to shoot me a message! I love discussions!)_**


End file.
